No.150 From Inagi City to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: The Advancement of Sports for the Disabled

On July 23, we held a send-off ceremony for the two athletes who have been selected to participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at the Community Promotion Plaza. Thank you to the many citizens who participated.

Inagi City has established a system to recognize individuals (athletes, musicians, artists, etc.) with ties to the city who are expected to thrive in the future, as "Inagi City Hometown ○○", and to support them as a city since October of last year.

Based on this system, two individuals certified as the 2nd and 3rd "Inagi City Hometown Athletes" are departing as representatives of Japan for the Paralympics, and this farewell event has been organized for the citizens to show their support.

Kazuki Nanano is a para table tennis player. He started playing table tennis in junior high school and began participating in international competitions from 2016. Initially, he aimed to compete in the 'standing' category at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, but fell just short of qualifying. After experiencing disappointment and an injury that prevented him from competing in the standing category, he switched to the 'wheelchair' category, where his performance improved rapidly. After being certified as a hometown athlete in January, he entered the top 10 in the world rankings by April and secured a spot for the Paralympics.

Naoki Hagiwara is a goalball player. Until high school, he had no vision problems and was active in the tennis club, but later, when he entered a culinary school, he developed a disease that caused his vision to deteriorate. His attending physician introduced him to the sport of goalball, and when he went to observe, he was invited to start playing by a member of the Japanese national team who was fighting the same disease at the same age. From the very beginning of his participation in the sport, he quickly made a name for himself and achieved national team selection in just a few years. After securing a spot in the Paralympics in April, he was certified as a hometown athlete in May.

Mr. Nanano graduated from Wakabadai Elementary School, and Mr. Hagiwara graduated from Nagamine Elementary School. For this farewell ceremony, video letters were sent from the students of both schools, that is, the juniors of both individuals, and were screened on the day. Additionally, representative students who attended the venue presented each of them with words of encouragement, a signed Japanese flag, a tapestry with support messages, and a bouquet of flowers. Hearing the sincere support from the children made my heart swell with emotion. I believe it was a truly wonderful farewell ceremony filled with a sense of handmade warmth.

Both individuals expressed their aspirations to aim for medals. After the tournament, we look forward to their triumphant report.

By the way, although it is not a sport in the Paralympics, deaf volleyball and deaf rugby, which are sports for the hearing impaired, also have representatives from Inagi City selected for the Japan national team.

Ayaka Matsunaga participated in the Deaf Volleyball World Championship held in Okinawa in June, where she achieved a remarkable victory by defeating the United States. She is currently training at the National Training Center to remain in the selection for the Deaflympics to be held in Tokyo next year.

Kaede Kishino is a player of 7-a-side deaf rugby. She participated in the first World Championship in 2018 and served as captain in the second World Championship in 2023. The next World Championship is scheduled to be held in 2026, and she is preparing for an expedition to the Republic of South Africa at the end of July.

In this way, athletes from Inagi City have begun to flourish all at once, and I would be happy if the hometown athlete system could provide even a little support.

Additionally, when I heard from these athletes this time, I felt that the barriers between the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as between able-bodied sports and disabled sports, have become even lower.

Mr. Nanano practices with the Olympic Japanese representatives at the National Training Center and is receiving guidance from coaches. Mr. Kishino was a member of the rugby club while attending Waseda University and was active alongside hearing individuals.

We will continue to support citizens who are engaged in various activities, regardless of disabilities or sports fields!